


In the Sun and Salty Air

by justaddfiction



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Callie is insecure but has fun and does her best anyway: the fic, Day At The Beach, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Homestuck Polyswap, Homestuck Polyswap 2017, Humanstuck, Jane can never escape the mom friend syndrome: the sequel, Multi, PTSD flashback, Past Abuse, Polyamory, Post-High School, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Roxy and Jane form the Calliope Defense Squad (TM), Roxy is a blessing on this gay earth: the ongoing trilogy, forgive me i finished this like three hours before the deadline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 16:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11467542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justaddfiction/pseuds/justaddfiction
Summary: Shortly before their high school graduation, new girlfriends Calliope, Jane, and Roxy hit the beach. Shenanigans ensue.





	In the Sun and Salty Air

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dancing_through_the_library](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancing_through_the_library/gifts).



> For the Homestuck Polyswap 2017! dancing_through_the_library's second prompt: "Everyone's-a-human AU (Calliope is insecure about her appearance for a different reason than being a cherub). It's somewhere around the end of high school. How do they spend the summer? It's fun to walk around at dusk. Does anyone have to work? I'd like everyone to have realistic doubts and confusions, but for the most part, fun and fluff prevail. I always love a good first kiss!"
> 
> Thanks to Rathayibacter for beta-ing and cheerleading!

Calliope took a deep breath and stepped out of the car into the sunlight. She squinted as her eyes adjusted. The curious eyes passing by felt just as real as the sun’s warmth on her conspicuously bald, scarred head. There were few enough in the pay-to-park lot, but she knew there would be more once they reached the sand.

Out of the other car door stepped Roxy, whose pink polka-dotted bikini sported more frills, bows, and buttons than Jane thought was practical for a bathing suit. But Callie had remarked on how cute it was when Roxy had tried it on at the store, and Roxy had needed no further prompting to buy it. She was absolutely stunning, even while striking a purposely over-dramatic pose in the summer sunlight for Callie’s benefit.

The driver’s seat door closed, and Jane brandished a can of spray-on sunscreen at her girlfriends. _Girlfriends,_ thought Callie giddily. It had only been a week or so since the three of them had started dating, and the word was still new in her mind. This trip, which they’d planned as a celebration of their impending graduation more than a month previously, had been cast in a dramatically different light. All three of them were accordingly nervous, as evidenced by Jane’s hesitance in picking which girlfriend to help first.

“Ooh, me first, babe,” said Roxy with an upward nod of her head. She gestured behind her with both thumbs. “If you could get my back, that would be great.”

Jane set to work accordingly, spraying the oily chemicals on Roxy’s back and rubbing it in, including under the straps. Calliope knew how easily the two of them exchanged casual physical contact. They’d been close friends for time out of mind, already attached at the hip when Callie transferred to their high school after… after.

“I'm still not sure the sunscreen is entirely necessary for me, love,” said Calliope, gesturing at her dark skin.

Roxy made a face as Jane sprayed the back of her neck. “Callie.”

“Yes?”

“My dearest, darlingest Callie of the cute face brigade.”

“What is it, dear?”

“I'm not gonna let my girlfriend get cooked like the world's most gorgeous lobster.” Calliope couldn't keep a small smile from pulling on the corners of her mouth. Roxy continued, “Today is for beach party fun times. No lobsterfication allowed. So, sunscreen is a must. For all of us.”

“I hardly think I'll burn. And the additional shine will only call attention to the scar.” It was a warm, sunny weekend in the beginning of summer. The beach would be crowded, and people would stare…

Jane’s voice answered from behind her, “I think everyone will be too covered in sweat, sunscreen, and water to notice a bit of shine. Arms up.”

Callie complied and was quietly pleased as Jane rubbed the back of her legs with the same ease with contact as she applied to Roxy. Callie’s bathing suit covered up a great deal more than Roxy’s did, as she wore a swim shirt and a skirted bottom. She felt more comfortable with more coverage. As Jane finished up, Callie took the can from her and thanked her.

“You’re quite welcome. Leave it to me to still be the mom friend even once we’ve started dating,” Jane answered with a nervous chuckle as she stowed the sunscreen in her tote bag.

“Aw yes, the sexiest mom friend around. A true milf as friends go.”

Jane and Calliope both blushed. “Oh, hush, you,” said Jane.

“I’m just saying!”

The three of them walked toward the boardwalk, pointing out cute storefronts and possible ice cream venues for later. As they reached the boardwalk, Calliope hesitated. There were so many people.

“I’m not so sure I…” she trailed off, trying to find the right words. Roxy took her left hand, Jane her right.

Roxy scoffed. “If they’re gonna stare, let them stare ‘cause you have two fuckin _gorgeous_ ladies on either side of you.”

“If you really don’t want to, we don’t have to,” said Jane from her right. Callie turned to face her. Her expression was kind but serious. “We can find something else to do.”

“No.” Calliope gripped both of their hands, overwhelmed by gratitude for their gesture. “Let’s go have fun, gals.” She stepped forward, and they walked with her.

“We are the gal-est of pals,” joked Roxy, to which Calliope and Jane chuckled. “Look at us pals! Hashtag justgirlthings. I can’t believe we’re all such. Good. Friends. I can see it in the tabloids: ‘Baking heiress takes beach vacation with her closest gal pals.’”

“That horse is dead, Roxy,” said Jane.

“Just like I’m going to be before we find enough room to build even the most microscopic sandcastle! Look at this bullshit!” She used her free hand to gesture at the crowded beach. The sand was cluttered with umbrellas, chairs, towels, and most of all, people. There were more colors of cloth than there were in the brief rainbows cast by sea spray. The rhythmic sound of the waves was nearly matched by the dull roar of chatter, pierced by the screeches of children and seagulls alike.  “We could stack a single grain of sand and call it a castle for quarks, but that’s as much as we’re gonna get over here.”

“We can walk a bit further away, dear,” said Callie. Most people faced the sea, but a few faced back toward the boardwalk. Of those who did, a few looked at her then quickly away, and one little kid outright stared.

Roxy groaned. “But then it’s farther to walk later, when we’re all tired and shit.”

As Callie watched, Jane’s face lit up with mischief, blue eyes twinkling. She squeezed Calliope’s hand before letting it go, conspiratorially winking at her. Callie returned it, barely suppressing a giggle.

Jane fell behind the other two and said, “I suppose I’ll just have to carry you!” With that, she hoisted Roxy up into a bridal carry and trudged off through the sand. Roxy nearly squawked in pretend protest, squirming in Jane’s embrace, and Callie laughed at the sight. Back here near the boardwalk, the sand was pale and fine, and hard to walk through. Calliope stepped out of her flip-flops and carried them, hastily catching up with her giggling girlfriends.

Roxy had thrown her hand up to her forehead and sprawled across her perch in exaggerated “distress,” as if she wasn’t grinning ear to ear. “I, the knight in shinin armor, have been captivated by the princess! What a twist of fate and storytelling tropes!”

“I think you mean ‘captured,’ Roxy,” said Jane, rolling her eyes.

Roxy paused in her dramatics to boop Jane on the nose. “I think I meant exactly what I said, Janey cakes.” She resumed her louder voice. “I guess the only thing left is for the _dragon_ to come save me!”

“Oh!” Callie caught on, and fumbled for her bag. “Hold on a minute, the dragon needs her wings.” She grabbed the green scale-patterned towel from her bag and grabbed it in each hand, flapping it like wings behind her. “It is I, the dragon! I shall slay the princess to rescue the knight!”

“As I live and breathe, a real dragon! I sure hope I can keep my prize from the valiant beast!” Jane twisted around with Roxy, swinging her out of Callie’s reach. Roxy squawked again as she was swung.

Callie formed a plan. “Fear not, brave knight! I have a secret weapon the princess shan’t be able to resist!”

“Oooh, ‘shan’t,’ nice one,” said Roxy.

“Thanks, my love.”

Jane quirked an eyebrow. “What weapon do you mean? Fire breath?”

“No,” said Callie, “Something much worse!” She tickled Jane’s sides, and Jane curled over with laughter. “Quick, Roxy, grab on!”

Roxy grabbed Calliope’s shoulders. Callie tore her away from Jane’s laughter-weakened arms, and then crouched down. Roxy jumped on her back, nearly knocking Callie over, but she regained her balance. “Onward, mighty steed!” shouted Roxy, pointing toward the water as if she was leading a cavalry charge.

“Hey, ‘steed’ is nothing to call your rescuer,” grunted Calliope, carrying her away from Jane, whose laughter had moved from tickle-based to Roxy’s-antics-based.

Roxy dropped her head down so that her chin rested on Calliope’s shoulder. Their cheeks pressed together, and Callie was embarrassed at how much she liked the close contact. Callie felt as much as heard Roxy say “Onward, fair steed!”

“You are impossible,” huffed Callie, still faintly blushing. She stopped about halfway to the water, in a section of the beach with far fewer people. “I think this is as good a spot as any, what do you think?”

Roxy dropped off of Callie’s back and hit the sand. “Looks good to me!”

Jane caught up with them, and they set their towels out on the sand. Roxy practically dragged Callie into the water, coaxing her past the first few yards into slightly deeper water. Jane followed suit, and soon they were treading water and splashing in the oncoming waves.

 

Callie was the first to get tired. She walked back to the towels and tote bags, and laid down on her green towel. Roxy yelled about sunscreen from the water. Sticking her tongue out in response, Callie reluctantly got up and sprayed herself with another coat before lying down to sunbathe.

From her vantage point on the sand, she saw Jane and Roxy swimming and talking, occasionally holding hands to go over smaller waves. The sight filled Callie with warmth. She wondered, probably for the thousandth time, how she had been so lucky with not one but both of them. Every now and then one of them would turn toward her and wave, and she’d wave back lazily with a big smile.

She hadn’t realized she’d dozed off until she heard Jane say, “Sssh, she’s sleeping.”

“I know, I know, don’t get your panties in a twist. Or do, that’s fine with me.” Callie could almost hear Roxy’s eyebrows dance up and down.

That, and Jane’s involuntary blush as she responded, “There is no panty-twisting over here, thank you very much.”

“Aww, what a shame. I’d have loved to see-hey!” Callie heard a soft _whump_ as Jane hit her arm.

“We are in _public_ , Ro-lal.”

Callie opened her eyes to see Jane looking as flustered as she sounded, and Roxy’s flirtatious expression as she leaned in and fluttered her eyelashes. “So if we were in private, it’d be a different story, huh?”

Jane crossed her arms and looked away, betrayed by a smile. “I’m not answering that.”

“Mmm, you’re cute,” said Callie. Both of the other girls looked down at her in surprise.

Roxy grinned. “Jane said the same thing about you when you were dozing. Sorry we woke you up.”

Callie shook her head and sat up. “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to miss this.” Brushing the dry sand off her head and shoulders, she asked, “Who wants to build a sandcastle?”

 

It truly was a magnificent castle, Callie decided.

To anyone walking by, it seemed mediocre. It consisted of a lumpy tower with a trench around it, and a wall around that. There was no intricate detailing, no crab residents or shell decorations. But then one of the girls would walk in through the back opening in the wall to add to it, and suddenly the scale of it was clear. The tower stood as tall as Roxy, so that Jane couldn’t even reach the top. The trench was wide enough to step down into, and deep enough that doing so would disrupt walking. Water seeped into the bottom of the trench from below, threatening the stability of the outside wall that lined it. The wall was tall enough in front to keep the waves from knocking down the rest of the castle, and thicker rather than tall the rest of the way around to keep it from collapsing.

It had taken several hours, three food breaks, and another coat of sunscreen to get as far as they had. Roxy had proposed towers at the corners of the wall, and some actual shape to the tower, but an impending dark cloud threatened to cut their visit short.

Jane left to find someone who could take a picture of the three of them in front of their handiwork while Roxy and Calliope took a break. Roxy wiped the sand from her forehead and ended up leaving more sand in the process. “Whew! We did good, didn’t we?”

“Yes, I think so,” said Callie.

Roxy’s grin softened. “Y’know, I’m really glad you’re here. That we could do this, I mean. I’ve had a lot of fun today, and not just because we made the coolest fuckin sandcastle ev-ar.”

That warmth from earlier returned. “Me as well. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun. I really love spending time with you.”

Roxy looked sheepish and rested her head on one hand. “Aw, geez, Callie, you’re makin me blush.”

Jane cleared her throat, catching the attention of the other two. “This kind lady has agreed to take our picture for us!” Behind her stood a middle-aged lady wearing sunglasses. In chaotic orbit around her ran a little boy who set Callie on edge immediately. She wasn’t sure why - maybe it was the way he seemed to disregard his mother’s personal space, or the way he didn’t control his volume, or maybe it was just the expression on his face. Whatever it was, Callie stood uneasily for the picture, smiling for the camera but keeping an eye on the boy.

Once the picture was taken on Jane’s phone, the boy tugged on his mother’s bathing suit. “Can I knock down the sandcastle?”

In the most Motherly Teaching Moment voice imaginable, she replied, “That’s something you should ask them, since they built it.”

Jane, Roxy, and Calliope exchanged looks. Callie responded nervously, “Actually, we’d rather you didn’t. We worked really hard on it.”

The kid didn’t seem to react, except to stare intently at Calliope. “What’s wrong with your head?” he asked.

Calliope was vaguely aware that she had sat down, and the people around her were reacting with alarm. Sound around her felt distant, as if she was hearing it down a tunnel. It had to compete for attention, to push its way through a parade of remembered jeers, a young male voice taunting her, “What’s wrong with you?” Worst of all, one memory: her vision skewed horizontal, a searing pain and the smell of burning hair, and the laughing, screaming voice of her brother, “What’s wrong with your head?”

She felt two strong, careful hands on her shoulders. Jane’s voice, calm and grounding, asked softly, “Callie? Callie, are you all right?” She could hear the mother’s voice in the background, alternating between apologetic and berating. That was something, at least.

“I, uh… I need to get away. From him.” She managed.

“That I can do. Can you stand up?” Jane asked.

“Yeah, I can.. I can stand.” She had already embarrassed herself enough, she needed to get away from curious eyes, she needed to be _away-_

She stood, and Jane wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Roxy, can you grab our gear and meet us at the ice cream place we pointed out?”

“Sure, which one?” Roxy sounded anxious, which threw Jane’s soothing voice into further relief.

“The one on the corner, with the white awning.” Callie went along with Jane in the direction of the car as Roxy went off to collect their things. There was one upside to all this, she thought: the staring eyes don’t feel as real this way.

 

A few minutes and a few dollars later, Callie sat in the ice cream parlor, picking at a cup of cotton candy-flavored ice cream. Jane sat next to her, and Roxy across from her, in a booth with vinyl seat cushions and a shiny metallic table. The grey pre-storm light illuminated the whole room through large front windows. The girls sat in silence, eating their respective ice creams. Callie could feel their tense hovering, as if she was a wounded animal ready to flee.

She sighed. “I’m sorry, guys,” she said quietly, staring at the pink and blue swirls slowly melting in the paper cup. “I ruined our date.”

“What? No!” said Roxy. “You sure as shit should _not_ be the one apologising. It was that little asswipe of a kid who ruined it.”

“What I think Roxy is trying to say is,” said Jane pointedly, “Our date isn’t ruined at all. Don’t worry about us, we’re worrying about you! Which makes this a real shindig of worry.”

Callie frowned. “Yes, well, you still wouldn’t have had to take time out of your date to take care of me if I wasn’t so broken, or at least if I could rein it in for a grand total of one day. I should have let you guys go on your own.” Her eyes began to water. She knew how stupid it sounded, but they would have had more fun without their resident party-pooper late-comer addition-

“Hold it!” interrupted Roxy, slamming her hands down on the table. Callie, startled, looked up at her and realized she’d been looking anywhere but at her girlfriends. “I am crashing this pity party Kool-Aid Man style. You ready for this shit?” She jumped up so she was sitting on the table with her back facing the two girls. Jane barely had time to open her mouth before Roxy pushed off from her seat and slid backwards across the table surface. “Awwww yeeeaaaaaaaaah!” She fell ass-first onto the seat between Callie and Jane with a small “Oof,” drawing weird looks from across the restaurant, including a consternated head-shake from Jane. Roxy’s legs were still splayed across the middle of the table as she began to speak, and Callie knew there was no way her spirits wouldn’t be raised in short order. Roxy had a knack for doing that to her.

“I would way rather spend the day with you when you’re upset than not spend the day with you at all. And I’m soo glad I was here to help when it did happen. Besides, it wouldn’t be the same without you! We’d be having a date with a Callie-sized hole in our hearts.”

And Callie had to admit, she had a point. Jane continued, asking, “Think about it this way. If one of us had an unpleasant reminder of an old, painful memory, and they had a reaction they couldn’t control, would you be mad at whoever it was?”

“No, of course not.” She took a deep breath. “You’re right. What am I going to do without you guys?”

“Well, lucky for you, you don’t have to find out!” Roxy elbowed her playfully. “Between Jane’s world-class culinary school--,”

“It’s not _world_ -class,” said Jane.

“It so is! --and the local colleges we’re going to (thank _all_ hypothetical deities for in-state tuition), we’re all gonna be in En Wy Cee for college! We can take public transportation to see each other!”

Callie nodded. “That’s true. We can do this. I believe in us.”

“That’s the spirit! I believe in us too!” It began to rain outside, the patter of water droplets casting a soothing rhythm of white noise on their conversation. Roxy’s pale blonde hair caught the low light as she cocked her head in an enthusiastic smile, and Callie’s heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, Callie leaned in towards her. Roxy mirrored her, and suddenly there was no distance between them at all. Their lips met, and Callie closed her eyes.

Kissing Roxy was everything she had dreamed it would be, and yet like nothing she could describe. She was cautious, belying her usual candor in all things physically affectionate. The kiss was chaste and sweet, and over too soon for Callie’s liking.

When Calliope opened her eyes, Roxy was grinning stupidly, blinking as though she couldn’t believe what had just happened. Callie was quietly pleased that Roxy looked about as stunned as she herself felt.

Jane put her hand on Roxy’s shoulder. “That was sweet,” she said. Roxy immediately twisted around and leaned in toward her, pressing their foreheads together.

“May I?” she murmured. Jane wasted no time with a response, kissing her instead. They swayed together on the spot, and Roxy re-positioned her legs to be more comfortable, before they let go.

There was a pause. Jane and Calliope looked over at each other, but the bench was not roomy enough for two people to kiss over a third. Roxy took that as her cue to hop back over the table.

Callie felt a little bit awkward; she didn’t want this to seem like she was only doing it to complete the pattern, or to keep Jane from feeling left out. She really wanted to kiss Jane. So when she reached over, she put her hand on Jane’s cheek, and guided her forward with her hand. They were both freshly dazed from kissing Roxy, so when their noses bumped together instead of their lips, they burst into lightheaded giggles and tried again.

Jane had outwardly seemed nervous, but when they actually kissed, she took the lead, with a smooth confidence that left Callie swooning when they broke apart.

“That was… perhaps the best thing ever,” said Callie.

“And we can kiss as much as we like! There is nothing between us and sloppy makeout city except public decency laws,” Roxy said from across the table.

“On that note, shall we head back to the car?” Asked Jane. “We don’t have to leave immediately, but there’s air conditioning and... privacy.”

Roxy was already gathering their things. “Anyone mind a little rain?” she asked, stuffing a towel into the wrong person’s bag.

Callie followed Jane out of the booth. The three of them held hands as they approached the door. It was pouring outside, and the waves roiled in the wind. This time, Jane happened to be in the middle, and Callie was grateful to be out of the limelight. Roxy leaned over to ask, “Everyone ready to make a break for it?”

“You bet,” said Jane.

“Ready,” said Callie. And she was.


End file.
